Regional focus: Europe

What are the key challenges facing Europe?

Wednesday 15 May 2019 | 12:50-13:50 | room: Eiffel 3

The European Union as well as many non-EU countries including Switzerland, Norway and Turkey have brought forward climate and energy policies over recent years aimed at establishing affordable, secure and sustainable clean energy systems.
In order to meet ambitious climate mitigation commitments, European countries will need to rapidly decarbonise their power sectors and increase the share of renewable energy. Toward this end, in early 2018 the EU parliament voted to increase its renewable energy goal for 2040 from 27 per cent to 35 per cent.

To help address environmental, social, technological and market barriers to hydropower development, a multi-partner consortium has launched an EU funded initiative, HYDROPOWER-EUROPE. The initiative involves consultation with hydropower stakeholders to develop a research and innovation agenda for Europe.

Session objectives:

This session will introduce the HYDROPOWER-EUROPE forum which is exploring hydropower’s role in achieving Europe’s regional and global sustainability goals.

Building on an extensive programme of public consultations, the forum will develop a set of research and innovation priorities as well as a strategic roadmap for the future of hydropower.